Bird’s-Eye View

Welcome to the new week, where despite it being Monday we’re doing better than Lance Armstrong’s collar bone … and A-Rod’s squeaky clean reputation.
Around the state:

*If you are eagerly awaiting property tax relief from casino gambling, you may be interested in this story from the Patriot-News:
Next month, the state must certify whether the fund has enough money […]

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Okay, I’m not done with the work week just yet.
Found my way over to Gov. Ed Rendell’s new Web site that details how the Obama administration’s economic stimulus package will impact Lancaster County. The Web site is www.recovery.pa.gov. Not exactly Hulu or YouTube, but you know, just in case you feel inclined eating breakfast with […]

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Stopped by Cross Keys in downtown Lancaster to say hello to the proprietor, Jerry. And let me alert you caffeine-heads to something here I like to call a little slice of heaven. A 16 oz. medium roast coffee made from Indonesian beans and a succulent cinnamon-apple muffin cost less than $3, and you’ll be hard […]

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The kinda evening for a mug of coffee, no? New snow’s on the ground, feels like Canada’s Northwest Territories out there, kids off from school. Fire up the brewmaster!
Hold onto your WiFi, there are some veddy veddy entertaining interesting debates going on in Harrisburg to start the week off:

If you think state lawmakers earn too much […]

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The Lancaster City Republican Committee is turning to a youth movement.
Tonight at Prince Street Cafe, I met with their first - and what appears to be only - City Council candidate, and it certainly wasn’t who I expected. I thought for sure I knew every potential GOP city candidate by name, face and reputation. I […]

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HARRISBURG - If you want the fastest cup of Starbucks coffee in what I believe is the entire world, come to the shop that’s in the Harrisburg Hilton. Never longer than 90 seconds, even when crowded. Impressive.
Don’t have much time to chat. I have to shortly rush to the Harrisburg train station to catch an […]

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The Democratic House Majority proved successful last night in its attempts to role back some of the reforms took root during the previous legislative session. 
The most serious changes in how the House will operate during the next two years has to do with:

The ability of the all-powerful House Rules Committee to amend bills that come […]

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Following up on something mentioned here at the Nest yesterday, Democratic state Rep. John Pallone is poised to introduced legislation that would charge municipalities who are covered by state police to pay a fee:
The legislation would impose a $100 per resident assessment on municipalities with populations of more than 10,000 to help cover the cost of […]

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How ’bout ‘dis?
In fact, I believe that we should do more to help cities and counties address the budget challenges they also face, and that’s why I am proposing to give counties the ability to broaden their tax base by allowing them to impose a sales tax increase of up to one percent on top […]

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HARRISBURG - Some quick thoughts following the budget presentation by state Secretary of the Budget Mary Soderberg:
-Right now, the state revenue is 7.5 percent below projections or $1.1 billion. But the hammer may not have fallen yet. That could come in March and April when corporate and income taxes start rolling in. Business taxes are […]

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